


I needed you, but you needed her too

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Feels, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 14:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17603291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: “Did it bother you when you found out about me?” Isobel asked.“Yes.” Maria answered immediately. “I loved Rosa. I wasin love withRosa. And it hurt like hell that I wasn’t enough for her. That she had to have you too.”





	I needed you, but you needed her too

**Author's Note:**

> Because 1x03
> 
> The scene where Isobel sees Rosa in Liz made me think they had something going on and Maria knew Rosa way too well to just be her little sister's best friend
> 
> So I thought...why not both?

Maria almost left. She’d driven all the way over but now that she was here, all she wanted to do was leave. 

She fidgeted with the letter in her hands and turned back to her car. After a few steps she spun on her heel and went back to the front door. Taking a deep breath she pressed the buzzer. A not insignificant part of her hoped that nobody was home. She groaned when she heard the click of heels on the other side of the door. Quickly, she schooled her face when the door opened.

Isobel Evans-Bracken; if ever there was a woman Maria did not get along with, here she was. She plastered a fake smile on her face anyway, Isobel returning it. 

When Maria didn’t speak, Isobel cocked her head to the side and put a hand on her hip. “Can I help you?” She asked.

Maria held out the letter she was still holding, the edges a little bent from her fretting. Isobel looked at it but didn’t take it. She raised an eyebrow.

Maria rolled her eyes and shook her hand a little. “It’s yours, okay. I thought you’d want it back.”

Isobel eyed her but took the letter. Maria turned to go as she opened it. She had done her good deed for the day. She didn’t need to stick around any longer.

She’d barely even gotten to the driveway when Isobel’s voice stopped her. “This isn’t mine.”

Maria wheeled around and gave her a disbelieving look. Isobel shrugged. “It’s not mine.” She insisted.

Maria walked back up to the front door. “Look. I found it in Rosa’s things. I know it’s yours.” She lowered her voice. “You were always the one leaving made up names on your notes to her.”

Isobel glared at her. “Yes, but I never used the name Ophiucus.”

Neither woman said anything for a long moment. Eventually, Isobel broke the silence. “Isn’t that a zodiac thing? I would’ve assumed it was you.” Maria leveled her with a glare. “If it was from me, do you think I would have brought it to you?”

Isobel shrugged and held it back out to her. “Who could even begin to imagine what you would do?” She asked rhetorically. 

Maria stared at the letter held in the air between them. Isobel shook it at her. “Aren’t you going to take it?” Maria didn’t move.

“If it’s not from you.” She paused and licked her lips. “And it’s not from me...”

“Then Rosa had a third secret lover.” Isobel announced. “Are we really surprised?” Maria looked away. Isobel sighed and dropped her arm. “She was sleeping with both of us at the same time and hiding us both from everyone. Why wouldn’t she have had someone else too? It’s not like fidelity or honesty were ever really her things.”

Maria glared at her. “Don’t talk about her like that. Rosa was-”

“Rosa was a lot of really great things.” Isobel cut her off. “And I loved her.” She said softly. She took a quick breath. “But she was also a fuck up of the highest degree and it got her killed. And just because she’s gone doesn’t mean we have to paint the past with rosy colors.”

Maria didn’t say anything. She just wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the letter still clutched in Isobel’s hand. 

Across from her, Isobel sighed and glanced behind her into the house. “You want a drink?” 

Maria stared at her. Numbly she nodded. Isobel nodded back and stepped into the house, gesturing for Maria to follow her. 

Isobel led her through the house to the kitchen. Maria parked herself at the table and watched Isobel as she opened cabinets to find the wine and glasses. She placed them on the table in front of Maria then paused. “I also have vodka.” She offered.

“Oh god yes.” Maria answered quickly. Isobel let out a short laugh, surprising Maria. 

When Isobel returned with the vodka, Maria quickly opened the bottle and poured a health amount in her glass. She didn’t even care that she was using the wine glass Isobel initially brought over. Isobel eyed her as she poured her own glass of wine but said nothing.

After a long sip, Maria put the glass down and stared at the table. “I don’t even know why I’m so upset.” Isobel stayed silent. “She’s been gone for a decade. Why should it bother me to find out she was seeing someone else behind my back?”

Isobel sipped her wine slowly and placed the glass on the table carefully. “Did it bother you when you found out about me?” She asked.

“Yes.” Maria answered immediately. “I loved Rosa. I was _in love with_ Rosa. And it hurt like hell that I wasn’t enough for her. That she had to have you too.”

Isobel fiddled with her wine glass before throwing it back in one gulp. Maria’s eyes widened. Isobel quickly poured out another glass. 

“Me too.” She admitted. 

“You too?” Maria asked. 

“It bothered me that she was seeing you.” Isobel clarified. “She and I had been fooling around for something like six months before she let it slip that she was seeing you too. And I don’t know. It hurt.” She took another large sip. “But I’ve realized since then that I wasn’t in love with her. I mean, I did love her. And part of me always will. She was my first love, if you will. But time has dulled some things. And some of that is the hurt that she caused. So what if she was sleeping with both of us and someone else too? We both loved her and she loved both of us and I’m sure it was the same for whoever Ophiucus is. That’s who she was. She was... _magnetic_. And she had a huge heart. Plenty of room in there for all of us.” She shrugged.

Maria refilled her glass. “I wish I could feel that way. But I can’t. It just hurts too much.” She took a sip. 

“Oh Rosa,” Isobel sighed as she leaned back in her chair. 

They let silence fall between them.

“Did you ever tell Liz?” Isobel asked eventually. Maria shook her head silently. “I can’t stand to be around her sometimes, you know.” Maria raised an eyebrow. “The other day I had to ask her something about Max and I swear to god I saw Rosa instead. I know they don’t look too much alike but it was the lighting or what she was wearing or something, I don’t know. But I saw Rosa and I froze. I felt like I was 17 again. And I just, I can’t do that. I can’t be confronted with her every time I see Liz.” She confessed.

Maria played with her glass. “I spent the night with her a few days ago, retracing some of Rosa’s steps to try and figure out what might have caused her to have the accident and it was hard. I felt like Rosa kept so much from Liz and I don’t know if it’s really my place to tell her. But if I don’t then she’s going to keep having all these questions."

“Are you going to tell her about the two of you?” Isobel asked.

Maria shook her head. “Rosa was always adamant that Liz and Mr. Ortecho not find out. If they did, she wanted it to be from her.” She finished off her glass but didn’t refill it. “I know she’s gone but I just can’t do that to her. I can’t out her.”

“Yeah.” Isobel agreed softly.

The two sat in silence for a long while, both lost to their thoughts. Maria looked at Isobel and smiled slightly to herself. The two of them had gotten along alright this afternoon but they were never going to be friends. Even if they were forever bound by Rosa and the secrets they couldn’t tell.

She stood up and gathered her things. Isobel stood up with her. “Leaving so soon?” She asked. Maria thought for a moment it might be a genuine question but she dismissed it. She nodded in response. “I need to get home and take care of a few things before work.” Isobel nodded and started clearing the table. As she put the glasses in the sink, Maria eyed the letter that was sitting on the table. She had taken it from Liz without her knowing, worried that she would somehow track it to Isobel and find out Rosa’s secret but now. Well, now she should probably put it back. Maybe Liz could figure out who Ophiucus really was.

Isobel escorted Maria to the door without a word. Maria stepped outside and turned to Isobel before she could shut the door. “Isobel,” she paused. Isobel just looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “Thank you.” She didn’t specify what but she got the feeling that Isobel understood. 

Maybe Rosa had bound them closer together than she thought.


End file.
